Gran Canaria Holidays: Resorts, Weather and Package Deals

Gran Canaria suits people who want warmth for most of the year without a long-haul flight. Eleven of the twelve months count as good months to go, which makes it as easy for a February half-term as for an autumn fortnight once the children are back at school.

Families tend to look at Maspalomas, where Palmitos Park, a zoo set among gardens, makes an easy day out. Couples, including older couples who prefer something calmer, often weigh up Puerto de Mogán and the Meloneras end of Maspalomas near the lighthouse. Travellers who like to explore will find plenty inland: the Basílica de Nuestra Señora del Pino in Teror, the Cuatro Puertas archaeological site near Telde and the Riscos de Tirajana natural monument in San Bartolomé de Tirajana.

Puerto Rico draws the most interest from British travellers of any resort on the island, with Maspalomas next. Maspalomas is the easiest all-rounder: the Maspalomas Lighthouse and the Meloneras beach area sit at one end, and Palmitos Park is within reach for families. Playa del Inglés belongs to the same southern stretch, so holidays in Gran Canaria based there keep the Maspalomas sights close by.

Puerto de Mogán lies in the Mogán municipality to the west, with the Inagua protected area and Montaña de Tauro rising behind it, a good choice if you want walking country nearby. Las Palmas is the island's city rather than a beach resort, with a ferry port, and suits those who prefer a city break with the Jardín Botánico Canario Viera y Clavijo and Bandama Caldera in the hills of Santa Brígida.

The Maspalomas climate is remarkably even. Winter highs sit at 23°C from December to February, spring brings 25 to 26°C, and October is still 28°C. July and August are dry, with no recorded rain days, but August climbs to 33°C, the one month that falls outside the best-month list. November is the wettest month, with around 29mm over five days, which by British standards is still modest.

For breaks to Gran Canaria, the school holidays are when package demand peaks, so families locked into term dates usually do well to book early. Couples and retired travellers have more freedom: January to May and September to November all offer warm days without the August heat.

Holidays to Gran Canaria fly into Gran Canaria airport (LPA), which has direct flights from the United Kingdom. The airport sits on the east coast, six minutes from Agüimes, seven from Telde and fourteen from both Santa Lucía and Santa Brígida, so the eastern towns are almost on the doorstep.

The main southern resorts lie further down the coast, and a package includes the transfer from the terminal to your hotel, so there is no need to arrange anything on arrival. If you would rather drive yourself and explore Tamadaba Natural Park or the Painted Cave at Gáldar, car hire is the simpler option.

A package holiday bundles your flight, hotel and transfers into one booking, and when it is sold as a package it is ATOL-protected, which matters if anything goes wrong with a flight or operator. You choose the board basis that suits you, from room only to half board or all-inclusive, and the transfer is arranged for you.

On this page you can compare live deals from Jet2holidays, TUI, loveholidays and On the Beach side by side; anyone searching for Jet2 to Gran Canaria will find those deals listed with the rest. You can also check hotel prices, see tours and tickets for the island's sights, and compare car hire for days inland.